80 Years of LEGO History in 17 Minutes

This year marks 80 years of LEGO, which, as you’ll find out from the video below, doesn’t exactly mean 80 years of plastic bricks. The charmingly animated history of the LEGO brand below gives Up a run for its money in the animated tearjerker department. It’s a story of heartbreak, tragedy, and triumph.

Seriously, I’m not kidding. Depending on who you are, you might want to have a box of tissues nearby.

The trip through time takes you through three generations of the Christiansen family in Billund, Denmark, where the legendary plastic brick got its start. I won’t spoil any more of the story for you, which speaks to how surprisingly compelling it is. All I’ll say is that it’s a fittingly triumphant history for what many would argue is the greatest toy of all time. Here’s hoping we see another 80 years of a one-of-a-kind toy that promotes imagination and creativity like no other toy can.